Hat shaper



Feb. 28, 1933. R RAULERSON 1,899,636

HAT SHAPER Filed Dec. 1930 E Q Q n 5 awvwwho'o r H. EELIJE'I'SD'II n VIIIJBIIII blldllllll Patented Feb. 28, 1933 uNrrEi) STATES RAYFORD RAULER-SON, OF DUBIlQUE, TOWA HAT srrsnnn Application filed December 4, 1830. Serial No. 500,054.

This invention relates to wearing apparel and more particularly to a device adapted to be fittedinto a hator cap in order to retain the same in its proper shape. 5 @no object of the invention is to provide a device of this character so constructed that it may be easily applied to a hat or cap and when in place, conform to the contour of the crown portion of a hat or cap and very effectivel' retain the same in its proper shape.

Anot ier object of the invention is to so form the hat shaper that it may conform to the size of the hat or cap to which it is applied, thereby permitting it to be used in connection with hats or caps of various sizes and shapes and making it unnecessary to supply a series of these devices of different SlZeS..

Another object of the invention is to proformed principally from a strand of resilient wire bent to assume the desired shape and secured by solder, spot welded or molded in cheaply made.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing one of the improved shapers applied to a ladys hat. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a mans cap with one of the improved shapers applied thereto and indicated by dotted lines. I

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the improved M shaper with the center'disc thereof shown in section.

Fig. 4: is a fragmentary sectional View taken along the line 4l4l of Fig. 3.

This improved hat shaper is intended for use either in connection with a ladys hat 40 having a soft crown or a mans cap such as shown in Fig. 2, but it will be'understood that it may be applied to other types of hats and caps.

It consists briefly of a'series of arms or 45 loops 1 preferably four in number and which radiate from a central mounting 2. These arms or loops are preferably substantially elliptical in shape and formed of thin resilient wire and, therefore, they will be flexible so that they may conform to the shape vide a device of this character which may be thereby permitting the device to be easily and iency to'cause themto be placed under suflicient tension toretain the idevice in place within the'hat or cap and prevent the crown fromjbeing dented or :otherwise moved out p of its proper shape or position.

By referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that thcshaper is f'ormed from a strand ofthin resilient wire which is first bent intermediate itsends to form a pair of arms or loops 1, each of which has side portions 3 aud t joined bya bridge 5. The portions of the wire strand forming the side portions 4 ex tend in crossed relation to the intermediate portion 6 of the strand and the end portions of the strand are then bent to form a secondpair-of arms or loops. These arms or loops conform to the shape of the first pair and have side portions '3 and l joined at their outer ends 'by bridge 5. The extreme ends of the wire strand eXtendin crossed rela tion to the inner ends of the side portions 4 of the second pair of arms and by referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the second pair of arms are joined to the inner ends of the first pair by portions 7 of the strandserving. as .connecting means. "After the wire strand has been bentto assume the desired shape, a mounting disc-8 formed ofsolder or of anyiother desired materialis applied in order to secure the strand in its bent condition and form a rigid connection or car-' rier. from which the arms project. If the carrier or disc is formed of solder, or an equivalent material, the bent strand willbe held in the bent condition and the disc formed by molding. If so desired, the carrier or disc may be formed ofcompanion sections having abutting faces grooved to receive the crossed portions of the strand and any means desired may be employed to secure sections of the disc in engagement with each other. While only four arms or loops have been shown, will be understoodthat any number desired may be provided.

When this hat shaper is used, it is grasped by the disc or carrier and thrust intothe crown of a hat or cap. A turning motion may be imparted to it as it is fitted into the hat or cap, thereby causing the arms or loops to move into overlapped relation to each other as shown in Fig. 1, if such positioning of the arms is necessary. In view of the fact that the side portions of the arms are connected by arcuate bridges at their outer ends, these arms will be formed with blunt free ends and there will be no danger of the arms penetrating a hat or cap and also the presence of the shaper within a hat or cap will not be noticed. 1

The arms may be disposed behind the sweat band 9 of a hat as shown in Fig. 1 orthey may terminate above the sweat band. It

1: should also be noted that when a hat is packed for shipment and covered by a sheet of paper in order to protect it from dust, the end portions of the armswill be, disposedin front of the sweat band and portions of the protecting paper folded inwardly and engaged by these arms. Therefore, the device will serve as a securing means for-the paper as well as a. shaper. for the hat; The shaper may be applied to a hat. while on display in order to keep it in shape when placed on a display rack and removed when thehat is sold or it may be left in the hat and serve as a permanentshaper to preventthe hat from quickly losing its proper shape. i

Havingthus described .the invention, what is claimed is: i

1. A hat shaper comprising a central relatively thin flat disk, and a plurality of normally flat'resilient loops secured thereto, each loop having anchoring portions embedded in the disk and disposed at'substantially right angles to each other, the free ends of theloops being separated and adapted to be flexed H downwardly to conform to the shape of 'the- 40 interior of a hat. i

2. A hat shaper comprising a central relatively thin flat disk, and a plurality of normally flat resilient loops secured thereto, 7 said loops being provided each with anchoring portions disposed at substantially right angles to each other and-embedded in the disk one above and in contact with the other, thefree' ends of the loops being separated and w 5 adapted to be flexed downwardly to conform to the shape of the interior of a hat.

3. A' hat shaper comprising a central rela tively thin flat disk, and a plurality of normally fiat resilient loops secured to-and eX- tending laterally from said disk and formed from a single length of wire, the wire at the junction of the loops and disk being bent to form anchoring portions embedded in said disk and disposed at substantially right angles'to each other, the free ends of the loops being separated and adapted to be flexed downwardly to conform to the shape of the interior of a. hat.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

'65 RAYFORD RAULERsoNf 1.8. 

